The Republican | Dave RobackSwampscott assistant superintendent of schools Maureen Bingham, a finalist for Westfield School superintendent, answers questions from the Westfield School committee on Monday night.

WESTFIELD – The most important part of any school is its teachers, and despite declining revenue, school districts must not lose sight of their mission, Maureen F. Bingham, assistant school superintendent in Swampscott, told the School Committee Monday night.

That mission, according to Bingham, is to provide quality education and equal opportunity to all students within the school district.

Bingham is the first of four candidates for Westfield superintendent of schools to be interviewed by the School Committee. Other interviews are scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Saturday morning.

Bingham spent two hours before the School Committee explaining her views and objectives on a variety of issues ranging from finances to staff evaluations.

Earlier Monday she met with School Department staff and parents at an informal forum at Westfield Vocational-Technical High School. The majority of the audience was school staff members who grilled her on similar issues.

Barbara A. Trant, coordinator of school volunteers and a parent, praised the public forum aspect of the interview process but criticized its 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. timing.

“The timing could have been different to allow more community involvement,” Trant said.

Bingham characterized herself as “a great listener, great communicator who gets things done.”

She said “clean, well maintained schools are the beginning of a respectful school climate. A respectful school climate leads to positive character-building programs that will prevent bullying.”

A supporter of the state college system, Bingham said she would work with Westfield State University to benefit Westfield’s local school system.

The teaching staff is her highest priority, and she said her budget process would look at cost savings in areas such as purchasing (supplies) on a regional basis; ensuring school buildings are energy efficient; exploring grant opportunities and utilizing local state college programs and services.

“Tight budgeting,” she said, “required utilization of grant funds to supplement things like professional development."

“School budgets were cut to the bone years ago,” said Bingham, “and as a result, (school) leaders must make the most efficient decisions possible.”

Bingham has been assistant superintendent for student and instructional services in Swampscott since July 2006. She served as interim superintendent there from August 2009 to June 2010. Prior to that she was an elementary school principal in Acton and Hull and is a former assistant middle school principal in Salem.

She served as school psychologist in the Greenfield Public School system from 1994 to 1997, and as an adjustment counselor in Northfield schools from 1987 to 1990 and in Easthampton schools from 1992 to 1994.

Bingham was a teacher at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst from 1985 to 1991.

She holds bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

The School Committee will interview Melodie L. Goodwin, current director of curriculum for North Adams schools, on Tuesday night.

Westfield’s South Middle School principal Ronald R. Rix is scheduled to be interviewed Wednesday night, and Suzanne Scallion, principal of Napa, Calif., Unified School District, will be interviewed Saturday.

The School Committee plans to name a new superintendent to replace the retiring Shirley Alvira in early May.